Keeping traditional "village customs" in Dai Binh

(QNO) - Each road, garden corner, and small custom in Dai Binh village (Trung Phuoc town, Que Son) has its own unique value; where the soul of the countryside, friendly lifestyle, and affection are always preserved like a quiet but enduring stream over time.

Dai Binh village in a peaceful morning. Photo: PHAN VINH

In every habit

Mornings in Dai Binh begin with a peaceful and clean rhythm, because of a long-standing habit of people sweeping the yard from the alley in, instead of from the house out. They briefly explain: “Sweeping the alley first so that anyone passing by can see it is clean, that is how we respect our neighbors and the village.”

Garbage is also carefully classified, organic waste is used to make compost, the rest is neatly bagged, waiting for the truck to collect every Tuesday morning. No one calls out, but no one forgets because it is a routine, a habit, seeing adults do it and children follow suit.

Dai Binh people preserve their living environment the same way they care for their homes. Photo: PHAN VINH

Mr. Le Thanh Tuyen - Head of Dai Binh village shared: "In the time when there was no sanitation service, every household handled their own garbage by burning or burying it. But in the past, people were conscious of preserving the common space. Now, garbage classification is not mandatory, everyone does it, because simply, keeping the village clean is keeping it clean for yourself and for others."

Each garden in Dai Binh is like a miniature botanical treasure, not following any agricultural planning, but full of vitality and identity. Villagers have a habit of bringing plant varieties from all over to plant, from durian in the South to mangosteen in the Central Highlands, from hibiscus in the mountains to sapodilla in the South. They do not hybridize or industrialize, but sow by seed to preserve the original varieties.

Dai Binh people do not use pesticides but instead protect their fruits using traditional methods. Photo: PHAN VINH

Mr. Nguyen Nghia, an old farmer who loves growing trees in Dai Binh, introduces his 6-acre garden as a “living museum” of plants. He said: “Plants grown from seeds may be slow to bear fruit, but they are healthy, strong and have the right taste. Every year I grow more, cutting down old trees and growing young ones. This garden does not need chemical fertilizers, only organic humus and spring water. That is how the trees grow one after another, one generation supporting the next.”

During storms and floods, Dai Binh fruit gardens rarely lose everything. When one tree breaks, another survives. By not depending on one variety, people have fruits all year round and require little care. Farmers here understand best the philosophy of adapting to nature, a farming style that focuses on harmony rather than conquest.

Keep a good lifestyle

In Dai Binh village, the community spirit and civilized lifestyle are expressed in funerals. Decades ago, the villagers included in the village covenant a regulation that funerals should take place over three days, the burial ceremony should be held early, before 5am, no votive paper should be scattered, no tents should be set up that encroach on the road or cause trouble for neighbors.

If a child or grandchild lives far away and cannot return in time, the family must inform the elders and ask for an extension, but absolutely not to prolong it. Every decision, even in the most sorrowful moments, is considered carefully so as not to disrupt the common order.

Dai Binh people live peacefully in a green, fresh environment. Photo: Trung Phuoc Town People's Committee

Mr. Tuyen said: “Death is something everyone has to go through, so the important thing is to live peacefully and leave without bothering others. Funerals in Dai Binh do not need to be noisy to show filial piety, but need to be thoughtful, moderate and civilized.”

In particular, in the village there are also examples of volunteerism, spreading good deeds in life. Such as Mr. Phan Hoang Viet, who has been cutting hair for free for the elderly for more than twenty years or doctor Nguyen Lang, who is retired but still regularly comes to examine lonely elderly people.

And even overseas Vietnamese and successful students... still maintain their ties with the village. For example, in 1997, they contributed money to bring low-voltage electricity to the village. When Nghia Trung temple was degraded, they continued to donate to repair and preserve the village's common memories. These acts of kindness are like an underground stream, helping the village never run out of affection.

Locals instruct tourists on how to mill rice traditionally. Photo: Trung Phuoc Town People's Committee

In 2018, Nong Son district (now Que Son district) implemented the Ecotourism Development Project, the villagers were initially hesitant. But just a few years later, they gradually became "tour guides", happily inviting guests into their homes, pouring cups of tea, cutting fruit in the garden and telling stories about the village.

Dai Binh people do not embellish the village to suit tourists' tastes, but quietly renew themselves with good habits, kind and responsible behavior towards the community.

Tourists enjoy experiencing Dai Binh village. Photo: Trung Phuoc Town People's Committee

Many young people open small homestays in the middle of fruit gardens, selling lotus leaves, grapefruit jam, artichoke tea... not to get rich quickly, but to continue the family tradition. Tourists come to Dai Binh now not only to "see the countryside" but to live in a true countryside, quietly listening to the rooster crowing, feeling the smell of the soil after the afternoon rain and enjoying the very real stories told under the lush fruit trellis.

Mr. Tran Van Doan - Chairman of Trung Phuoc Town People's Committee said: "Dai Binh village is a typical example of tourism development from the foundation of community culture. Here, development does not come from large projects, but from people who clearly understand the value of themselves and the community. Every lifestyle, every behavior, every look they give each other and guests reflects a cultural depth."

A friendly fence of a homestay in Dai Binh village. Photo: PHAN VINH

Without haste or ostentation, Dai Binh village transformed itself with the inner strength and perseverance of community culture distilled over the years.

[ VIDEO ] - Peaceful Dai Binh village through film footage:

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/giu-nep-lang-truyen-thong-o-dai-binh-3156117.html